By The Ashadha Purnima marks the auspicious occasion of Guru Poornima, celebrated in reverence for the entire Guru-disciple tradition, and to extend our deepest gratitude towards our Enlightened Master. Although no amount of gratitude could ever suffice for a Guru’s compassion and unconditional love, a true disciple never gets tired of expressing their indebtedness. And it is impossible not to be brimming with such feelings when we understand just how priceless a Guru’s role is in our life.
A Guru’s Role in Life
The following verses fittingly convey how a Guru transforms us and carries us towards the highest purpose of this rare and blessed human life.
asato mā sadgamaya
— Brihadaranyaka Upanishad
tamaso mā jyotirgamaya
mrityormā amritamgamaya
asato mā sadgamaya
Rising from Temporary to Eternal
A Guru leads us from the Asat (temporary) to the Sat (eternal). That is the sole objective behind everything that a Guru plans and arranges, be it in the form of Satsang, Bhakti, or Meditation. We understand the fleeting nature of the things, people, and situations that we have been chasing all our lives. The momentary pleasure we sought from them also becomes apparent. A Guru shows us that true and eternal happiness resides within us, that is, our very nature is Sat-Chit-Anand (eternal, conscious, and blissful). Thus, a Guru’s presence brings with it a feeling of abundance and contentment as we stop being dependent on external factors for our happiness.
tamaso mā jyotirgamaya
Rising from Darkness to Light
The word Guru can be split into Gu (darkness) and Ru (light).
— Sri Guru
Therefore, Guru is the light that dispels all darkness.
Guru is the one who leads us from Tamas (Darkness) to Jyoti (Light). By default, we tend to confine our boundless nature into these tiny identities of body, mind, and intellect, and then ignorantly view ourselves as separate from the Universe. Only a Guru introduces us to our true identity and dispels all our ignorance. The light of Guru’s wisdom shines forth the real joy of being, making our life blossom like an elegant flower.
mrityormā amritamgamaya
Guru’s teachings are the elixir of Life!
A Guru leads us from the dead to the immortal. Here, “dead” refers to the ever-changing thoughts, emotions, and feelings in our minds. A thought or a feeling comes, stays with us for an incredibly short time, and then makes way for another. We remain trapped in this mental churning and let it dictate our actions and reactions, leading to all kinds of mental issues like stress, anxiety, and depression. While a Guru takes us towards experiences of our real self. These experiences help us regain control of our life, and become our “immortal” companions in the journey of transformation.
Faith builds Strength, Guru builds Faith
Faith is the conviction that an event will occur before it actually transpires. And it is indeed an inevitable outcome of having a Guru in life. Here, Sri Guru shows us how a Guru builds faith at 4 different levels, going from the gross to the subtle:
- The physical presence of the Master builds the faith that being successful outside and blissful inside can happen simultaneously. They are not mutually exclusive. Guru, who is so much like you and yet so different, leads such an exemplary life that proves success and bliss can go hand-in-hand.
- Guru’s presence at the mental level builds the faith that unconditional love really does exist. And it ceaselessly radiates from a Guru’s heart.
- Guru’s presence at the intellectual level, helps you distinguish right from wrong, and temporary from eternal. This builds the faith that irrespective of your current state of being, you can transform. You have the ability to rise and realize the highest possibilities of this human life.
- Finally, and most importantly, a Guru’s spiritual presence builds the faith that even a little self-effort in Guru’s Agya can unfold something exceptional. This is the experience of many seekers who truly feel that they never have had to make an effort for transformation. Such is the magic of Guru’s Grace!
Words fall short of expressing the endless wonders of a Guru. And yet, Param Krupadu Dev has summarized it so eloquently:
Seek nothing else, but an Enlightened Being (Sadguru). Remove all doubt and surrender your mind at His Lotus Feet. Obey all His commands and fill your heart with love for Him. And if you still don’t find liberation, then come and take it from me..!
— Shrimad Rajchandra Ji ‘s Vachnamrut #76
Let us earnestly pray for a Guru to enter our lives. And if that has already happened, let us bow down in front of the Supreme Power with reverence for blessing us with His most divine manifestation!
Dedicated by Ankit Dwivedi Prabhu
Bliss of Wisdom is a blog for seekers who are in search of their real Self. It is published by Shrimad Rajchandra Mission Delhi – a spiritual revolutionary movement founded by Sri Guru. She is a spiritual Master who has transformed innumerable lives through her logical explanations and effective meditation techniques. To know more, visit srmdelhi.org
